Articles | Volume 20, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4367-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4367-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Mapping snow on northern winter roads: a dual-frequency polarimetric radar approach for snow characterization over land, lake and sea ice
Julienne Stroeve
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI), 48310 Bremerhaven, Germany
Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP), University of Bremen, Otto-Hahn-Allee 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
Rosemary Willatt
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UK
Madeleine Downie
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UK
Monojit Saha
University of Maryland, College Park and NASA Goddard, Greenbelt, MD, USA
Carmen Nab
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UK
British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK
Alicia Fallows
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UK
Clement Soriot
Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Robbie Mallett
Earth Observation Group, Department of Physics and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Anton Komarov
Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI), 48310 Bremerhaven, Germany
Vishnu Nandan
Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Thomas Newman
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UK
Jennifer Lukovich
Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
John Yackel
Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Data sets
Churchill Data J. Stroeve et al. https://doi.org/10.34992/11tj-wr82
Resolute Data J. Stroeve https://doi.org/10.34992/ep9a-xt58
Short summary
We evaluate polarimetry for snow depth retrieval on Arctic winter transport routes. Over landfast ice and tundra, traditional dual-frequency (Ku/Ka) methods often fail. We demonstrate that cross-polarization (VH) provides a more reliable marker for snow/ice and snow/ground interfaces. For lakes, we successfully resolve air, snow, and ice interfaces to retrieve snow and ice thickness simultaneously. These results establish a baseline for future polarimetric satellite missions.
We evaluate polarimetry for snow depth retrieval on Arctic winter transport routes. Over...